


See America!

by ami_ven



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Gen, Road Trips, Team Bonding, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-09
Updated: 2016-03-09
Packaged: 2018-05-25 18:55:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 400
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6206629
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ami_ven/pseuds/ami_ven
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Nineteen-sixty-three VW microbus.  Only car for a cross-country road trip.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	See America!

**Author's Note:**

> written as a birthday present for "eska818" in 2015

Steve woke with a start, recognizing the guest room at Tony’s rebuilt Malibu house a split-second before he registered the human-shaped figure at the foot of his bed.

“Get dressed,” said Natasha, turning on the light. “Something comfortable. Your bag’s already packed.”

“What—?” he began, but she was already gone.

JARVIS directed Steve to the garage, where everyone was gathered around a large red-and-gold vehicle.

“Cap’s here, we can get going,” said Tony. Seeing Steve’s confused look, he added, “Nineteen-sixty-three VW microbus. Only car for a cross-country road trip.”

“Is that what we’re doing?” Steve asked.

“Yep,” said Clint. “Shotgun!”

“Fine,” said Tony. “Because I’m— Hey!”

Coulson let the keys jingle as he headed for the driver’s door. “JARVIS, who here is a certified law enforcement chase and tactical driver?”

“ _Only you hold that certification, Agent Coulson_ ,” the AI replied.

“It’s my microbus,” Tony grumbled, but he seemed perfectly happy to climb into the back with everyone else.

And he’d been right— the microbus was the perfect way to see the country. So much had changed in the years that Steve had been asleep, but so much had stayed the same. There were still fields of crops and pastures of cows, still roadside stands selling sun-ripe fruit, still diners with homemade pies, still kids playing ball in whatever open space they could find.

But there were new things, too, like food from all over the world available in even the smallest towns, like people of all colors living and working together, like nature preserves and living history museums and cultural heritage centers.

They stayed in roadside motels with peeling wallpaper and chipped pools full of sunburned children, except for the night they just parked beside the highway and slept under the endless stars of a clear Missouri sky.

Coulson silently handed the keys to Clint when they hit the border into Iowa, but the archer seemed happy to tell them about growing up in the Midwest, and a few of the happier stories from the circus. Bruce took over narrating in Ohio, not from experience, but from the _See America!_ guidebook Tony had bought three states back, and by the time dusk began to fall above Pennsylvania’s Amish country, Steve was feeling so happy that he startled at the sudden _boom_ of fireworks.

“What—?”

“Tomorrow’s the fourth of July,” said Tony. “Happy birthday, Cap.”

Steve grinned. “Thanks, guys.”

THE END


End file.
